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'nother Newb Question !

I know I'm a nuisance....but.....

If I knew someone that cooked a hunk of beef ( such as a brisket or roast, etc) and they pulled it at ~190 F IT and FTC, but it turned out a little tough  to eat.....is there a way to salvage it and make it more tender ????

I just can't seem to get the beef right !!!!!!

I know I am not cooking it correctly..(too hot, too short? too something?)

I just haven't got the hang of it yet....but I will.

Thanks in advance,

Donnie

Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


Comments

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    edited January 2014
    It is tough because it needed to cook longer. For chuck roast the IT will average 200 -210 before it is tender. You should just use the temp as to when to start checking for tenderness. At 190ish I will start taking my thermometer probe and sliding in and out if it doesn't feel like Buttah I will check about every 30mins after that until no resistance. I cook chuckies at 250 dome until it reaches 160IT and then wrap in foil, bump temp to 350ish and cook till tender. As far as making it more tender IDK If I get one that is tough it usually turns into soup meat.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    Need a little more info, but I'm sure we can help you figure this out.

    What type of roast, chuck, or something else? Were you looking for pulled beef, or sliced? 190* is too high for a lean cut such as round roast, may be too low for brisket or chuck. If you are shooting for pulled beef, you want chuck and take it a bit higher until it probes like butta, same goes for brisket.

    For brisket and chuck I usually do low and slow, 250* dome or so, ramp it up a bit if needed towards the end.

    For sliced roast beef such as round, treat it's finish temp like you would steak. I like rare or medium rare, cooked at 375*-425* range. Last one I did I seared it first on all sides on my small first, then moved it over to indirect on my XL. Before I had 2 eggs I skipped the sear stage and just roasted it.

    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208

    I cooked a shoulder roast and a chuck roast last night. I wanted to slice them ...not pull. I cooked about 2.5 hours at ~375-400 dome temp range.

    The flavors are great...no...perfect, but not as tender as I would like.

    One problem I have is time constraints...work almost everyday and only have evenings to cook...personal problem ...I know !!!!

    I have cooked 2 small flats at different times and both turned out the same consistency as these roasts. I know it is my cooking methods.

    But on a positive note....I am learning my egg and how to control temps ( I only got it a few weeks ago...5th cook last night...) I am addicted.

    Is there anything I can do to these two roasts to tenderize them??  ( put in oven??  put back on egg??? as you can tell, I don't know very much about cooking yet....but I am learning from all you awesome folks. !!!!!

    Thanks again,

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • +1 on longer cooking. But, worst case scenario if it isn't good as is, bad beef cooks turn into great chili or beef stew.
    LBGE 2013, SBGE 2014, Mini 2015
    Columbus IN
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    As mentioned above, with chuck roasts around 210*F and it will pull quite easily. Brisket is all about feel-when you probe the thickest part of the flat (don't worry about the point if you have a packer) and you get no resistance in either direction it is done.  Usually start checking around 190*F but most seem to run into the low 200's.  (If a Snake River Farms special hunk of brisket the most recent forum data says it passed the tenderness test in the mid-high 180's).  Each hunk has it's own finish parameters.  FWIW-YMMV.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Beef front shoulders support lots of weight, so they are usually full of tough connective tissue. Both shoulder and chuck roasts are part of the larger section called the clod. Typical cooking methods often call for braising the roasts. Using the Egg, many folks put the roasts in a foil pouch w. a little extra liquid for a few hours. This not only speeds up the cooking, but the copious steam helps break down the connective collagen while preventing the meat from overheating.

    One thing I've learned trying to rescue less than fine slices of brisket is that if the cooked meat is sliced as thin as possible, and then steamed briefly, there is a decent chance that the last of the collagen will turn to gel.

    Not that some cuts, such as brisket, also have a connective tissue called elastin. Heat will not break that down. Mechanical means, such as a Jaccard tenderizer, or a meat mallet, used before cooking can help.
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I've screwed up a few pieces of beef. Cube it and use it in stew or chili. I food processor it real fine, warm it up in au jus and then drain. Serve on hoagies with red peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheese.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Slice thinner. Super thin.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • With shoulder roast or brisket, place in pan, slice, cover with foil and cook in oven at 250-350. Check at half hour intervals. Stumbled upon this after eating tough brisket one night. Then reheating the next day, came out super tender. With your chuck roast, cooking it longer will make it tender but will be ready for pulled beef. Good luck. Would be interested in any update.
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208

    Thanks folks.....

    You all have answered my questions very well. ((Even you Henapple !!!!!). I will update on my success with these roasts.

    I guess it is a good thing that I love chili and I've got my new/used CI pot seasoned and ready to go !!!! What better way is there to break it in than use my roast in my first batch of chili on my new BGE  ????

    Thanks again,

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    Home from work, egg fired up , life is good !!

    I put the roasts on' wrapped in foil, injected with Dale's seasoning/beef broth/and a pinch or so of garlic powder.

    I couldn't stand the wait, so I stopped on the way home and got 2 racks of babybacks !!!! Rubbed them down after removing skin on bone side.

    Egg at 235 grate temp and dome temp is 285. planning on checking after 3 hours to see what's happening. Also monitoring IT of roast (97 now)  and trying to monitor ribs (125 now). Cooking on leftover lump from last night. Indirect with no drip pan(I forgot to put it in !!).

    Put the meat on at 5pm...now I wait..........

    Thanks folks for the earlier advice. I had to experiment a little. If you see something out of order, please let me know.

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Don't worry with the temp of the ribs too much, it is really hard to monitor because of how close the bones are. Once the meat pulls back from the bone ends you are getting close. I like to use the bend test to check final doneness, you can also check with a toothpick sliding in and out like Buttah. Prolly 3 - 3 1/2 hrs at 285.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    Cool.

    I just foiled and lathered up with bbq sauce and returned to egg. It has been 3 hrs since start. Thinking of leaving them on about 45-60 minutes in the foil.  Still lookin for the buttah !!!!!!

    Roasts are off, foiled(still) and I am getting ready to check them in a few minutes.

    Thanks,

    I shall return,
    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    I am very interested in the how the roast turn out. Please post pics!! Did I understand correctly that you wrapped them from the start?

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    Wrapped them in foil.....from the first time I took them off !!!!!!!!!

    Put them back on (still in foil from last night) tonight for 3hrs at 285 with my ribs.

    IT reached 195 tonight. 

    I interrupt this message for an update"""""

    The roasts are EGGCELLENT !!!!!!  It worked !!!!  They are tender and perfect !!!!!!!!!!!

    Here's a pick Larger is chuck roast (with the slice cut off) , smaller is what was left of the boneless shoulder roast.

    Oh yeah, I had to make a batch of hot wings while I was waiting !!!!!

    Even my wife said they were perfect.....they must be if she said so !!!!!!!!

    Thanks to all you folks who helped me.

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    Just took the ribs back off.....perfect as well !!!!

    You folks are awesome.....have I said that before ??????

    Thanks everyone. I put bbq sauce on one rack and applesauce on the other when I foiled and returned to egg an hour ago. 1st halfrack below is w/o bbq,  2nd is w/.

    Delicious......

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    So now my turn for questions cause I like sliced beef but have only made pulled with chuckies. You cooked to 190 last night, it sat today then you wrapped and run up to 195. Do you think if you had run to say 150-160 then wrapped and run to 195 the results would have been the same? 195 seems to be where the fat really starts breaking down on beef and another 10* you would have been pullable. I think.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    I might not be the person to ask.....but I can say that yes, my Maverick which is calibrated told me that the chuck was 190 IT last night when I pulled it off the egg, but it was tougher than I like. 

    I FTCd and put it in the fridge at bedtime and took it out this evening and stuckit back on the egg for 3 hrs at 285 dome temp, It was 195 IT when I pulled it off the egg this time. Tender and perfect for slicing. I have never tried pulling meat for BBQ/sandwiches or anything, so I can't answer any questions about that process. I think it would pull, but I've never tried, and am a kinda slice person myself !!!!

    I can't wait to try another brisket. That is my most favorite food on earth !!!!!!!

    Don't know if I helped, but maybe someone can answer your question.

    Thanks,

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    edited January 2014
    I think you did. Thank you. I will prolly do 2 chuckies next time and try it out on one and do my norm on the other.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • @dldawes1. Curious to know why your probe cable is wrapped in foil. Thanks!
    Bronxville, New York. XLBGE, MBGE
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    @MATTMAN....great, I hope I can learn a few things so that I can have intelligent conversations with all the 'eggsperienced' folks around here. 

    @Nicholas.....I thought I could wrap them in foil to keep the junk off them and to provide any other protection from flames or whatever that the foil might provide. It may help keep moisture away from the cable as well, but I don't know that. Nothing that I knew would work....just thought of it and decided to do it. Plus it does keep them clean and shiny !!!!!!!!

    Glad you asked,

    Happy eggin',

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !!